90% of blindness can be prevented or treated. An eye check every two years will keep you doing what you need and love to do.
1 in 5 Aussie kids have a problem with their eyes and they don’t even know it.
Eye disease runs in families. Spotting it early is the key to getting it fixed.
Do you have difficulty seeing?
Low vision is one type of problem people have with their sight – low vision means that your vision is impaired, but you still have some sight. It can be a challenging condition to live with and impact your ability to read, write, and perform everyday tasks.
While it can affect both children and adults, low vision is most common in the elderly.
Low vision can result from;
- age-related macular degeneration,
- cataracts,
- glaucoma,
- diabetic retinopathy,
- conditions that affect the eye’s structure or function.
Fortunately, there are solutions available to help people with low vision, one of the best solutions is to see an optometrist. Optometrists are trained medical professionals who specialise in diagnosing and treating vision problems. They can help people with low vision to improve their quality of life.
Expertise in Eye Care
Optometrists’ extensive knowledge of the different types of low vision aids available means they can recommend the best solution for your needs. They can also diagnose any underlying eye conditions that may be contributing to your low vision and provide the appropriate treatment.
Your optometrist will take the time to understand the specific challenges and limitations that you are facing and recommend solutions customised for your needs. Solutions may include specialised glasses or tints which are used to enhance contrast and reduce glare, with special coatings for specific conditions. Or magnifiers with appropriate magnification and working distance. Full spectrum lighting or magnifiers with an attached light source are often used to aid individuals with low vision.
Comprehensive Eye Check
Your optometrist will take you through a comprehensive eye check to identify what is causing your vision problem. This means that they can treat the cause of your condition, as well as treating the symptoms.
20/20 or 6/6 Vision
20/20 vision describes the sharpness of a person’s vision 20 feet from a vision chart. In Australia as we use the metric system, which means 20/20 is 6/6 vision. 20 feet equates to six meters.
To test your sight, your optometrist will have you sit 6 metres away from a wall-mounted vision chart and cover one eye at a time while you attempt to read all the letters on the chart. If you can read all the letters successfully down to the 6th line then you have 6/6 or 20/20 vision. People with low vision will be able to read less of the chart at the standard distance.
The clarity of your sight is the standard test, but your optometrist will take into consideration other aspects of vision such as your peripheral vision, depth and colour perception, and focusing ability. All of these factors contribute to your sight.
Your optometrist will also check to ensure that your eyes are working together and assess your ability to focus for near vision. The internal and external structures of your eyes will be carefully examined. Special instruments are used so that your optometrist can assess your eyes under high magnification, with special optical filters and in 3-D. Assessments of the pressure of the eyeball, fields of view and colour vision may also be done.
Your eyes will be examined for signs of cataract, glaucoma or macular degeneration, or other diseases such as high blood pressure or diabetes that may be causing your low vision. Sometimes medication you are taking can have side effects that can affect your eye health.
Ongoing Support
Optometrists provide ongoing support and regular appointments will keep a check on the effectiveness of the aids you have and make any necessary adjustments.
